Nepal is keen to resolve its boundary dispute with India through diplomacy, with Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal on Sunday asserting that no issue is insurmountable if both sides engage with an “open heart”.
Addressing a media interaction in New Delhi, Khanal said Kathmandu’s new government does not view India through the “distorted, hyper-sensitive lens of 21st century geopolitics” and is instead focused on building a mutually beneficial partnership aimed at shared prosperity.
Khanal’s remarks came a day after he held wide-ranging discussions with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during his three-day visit to India aimed at strengthening bilateral ties.
The visit, which began on Friday, comes amid controversy sparked by recent comments from Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah on the longstanding boundary dispute between the two neighbours.
“No problem is too large and no boundary too complex when we sit down with an open heart,” Khanal said.
“We look at India with an open heart, clear eyes, and with a single, transparent agenda: the economic transformation of Nepal,” he said.
“Rather than engaging in hyper-nationalistic grandstanding, we are pursuing calm, data-driven approach to resolve issues,” Khanal said.
Khanal also praised India’s economic progress, describing it as a model for Nepal’s aspirations.
“When we look across the border, we see a Rising India - an India that has fundamentally and beautifully redefined itself on the global stage as a dynamic, fast-growing tech and economic powerhouse,” he said.
“We want to engage with this India of intense aspiration and cutting-edge technology. In turn, we bring the energy of an Aspiring Nepal,” he added.
(With inputs from PTI)